Franck Boivert Criticizes Fijian Drua's Crushing Defeat Against Western Force

Former Fiji Rugby Union coaching director Franck Boivert has voiced strong criticism of the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua's recent 48-10 loss to the Western Force in Perth. Boivert pointed to predictability in attack and a lack of counter-attack pattern from kicks as key factors in the Drua's disappointing performance.

Boivert emphasized the importance of unpredictability in attack, noting that the Drua's gameplay lacked the flair and characteristic of Fijian rugby. "The basic of rugby is to keep the defence guessing; if your attack is predictable it will make the job very easy for the defence," Boivert stated. He also highlighted the Drua's failure to develop a counter-attack pattern from kicks, a weakness he observed in the Fiji national team as well.

The former coaching director drew parallels between the Drua's performance and Fiji's Rugby World Cup quarter-final match against England in 2019, where Fiji lost 24-30. Boivert recalled how Fiji's predictable gameplay led to exhaustion and ultimately, defeat in that crucial match.

Boivert, who has experience coaching Nadroga Rugby, advocated for a style of play that prioritizes maintaining possession and avoiding unnecessary rucks. He urged the Drua to adopt a more dynamic and adaptable approach, citing the "Toulouse style of play" as an example to emulate.

"When with Nadroga, we were avoiding the rucks at all cost. For us, a ruck was an accident of the game, like we say in France, so we were playing on our feet just like the great Stade Toulousain team does – we call that in French 'the Toulouse style of play' or le jeu a la Toulousaine. That is play on your feet and not 'davo' like unfortunately most teams do now in Fiji," Boivert explained.

The Fijian Drua's defeat marks their second loss on the road in two weeks. Stand-in captain Tevita Ikanivere made a crucial mistake by turning down a kickable penalty deep inside the Force half, opting instead for a kick to the sideline and losing an opportunity to gain valuable points. Head coach Mick Byrne expressed disappointment, saying the team needs to "get a good look at themselves" and find a way to win.

The Fijian Drua currently sit eighth on the Super Rugby Pacific table and host the Reds in Suva this weekend. A win is crucial for the Drua to consolidate their place in the top eight and keep their hopes of a quarterfinal spot alive. The Western Force, now just two points behind the Drua, will be looking to capitalize on their momentum and push for a playoff berth in the coming weeks.

Key Takeaways

• Franck Boivert criticizes Fijian Drua's 48-10 loss to Western Force, citing predictability in attack.
• Boivert emphasizes importance of unpredictability, saying it makes defense's job easy.
• Drua's failure to develop counter-attack pattern from kicks is a major weakness.
• Boivert advocates for "Toulouse style of play", prioritizing possession and avoiding rucks.
• Fijian Drua must win against Reds in Suva to consolidate top-eight spot and quarterfinal hopes.